Resident questions planning authority over Neighbourhood Plan

DEAR South Oxford Council, Thame residents spent months debating and agreeing the town’s Neighbourhood Plan. It was a very difficult process but they reached a solution – if not a completely happy consensus. It was a triumph of neighbourhood co-operation in its way. A proportion of the town will have had to ‘bite the bullet’ and accept some of the outcomes. A result was achieved, however.

It was a success because population numbers, social and medical services, traffic provision, parking and the community goodwill of the town were already finely balanced but with that goodwill have worked well. Until now. Even the Neighbourhood Plan will place a strain on the existing system. Then came the new SODC Local Plan, which is a threat to all of that.

It’s deplorable that Thame should be presented with these further demands on its environment, after all the work and give and take among residents which was entailed in agreeing the Neighbourhood Plan.

It also invites a cynicism about the process of government and what feels like a breach of faith over all the work that the Town Council and residents put in. As a retired journalist and lifelong community campaigner in various places and at various times, even I was shocked and surprised at this development

I suggest that maybe Thame is being seen as an easy target for fulfilling these extra demands. There should be a further look at all the options being considered by SODC.

Yours truly
Norman Brand MCIJ
Thame